OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Jon Rahm defeated all the demons on Sunday with a playoff-winning putt at Olympia Fields.
In a war between the two most sensible players in the world at the BMW championship, Rahm made a 66-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole to the world’s most sensible number one, Dustin Johnson, who had made a 43-foot shot to force the playoffs. then looked at his 30 feet to enlarge the extra consultation to a hollow moment by completing an inch to the right.
“I still don’t know what just happened, ” said Rahm about his Sunday miracle. “I think we all need the flashy ending, but not the tension that comes with it. “
Rahm could not know what happened Saturday when he had a brain cramp on the fifth green and picked up his golf ball without scoring it and was penalized with a shot.
Walking towards the green, he shook his ball marker, an Arizona State poker chip, in his right pocket, bent over and picked up his ball, but the ball marker was still in his pocket. Rahm sanctioned with a shot under Rule 9. 4b/1 for touching his ball while playing un scored first.
He said that after the round, he just hoped he wouldn’t lose in one shot, he didn’t because he kept calm after the mistake and lit up the leaderboard for the rest of the time on a field that was played more like a US Open than a PGA Tour event.
“I don’t know if I would have won if it hadn’t happened, ” said Rahm. “Somehow I got mad at myself, and I continued my concentration afterwards and I was able to play golf while still being aggressive. if I hadn’t, I would have made two shots and maybe I would have been complacent. I don’t know why I had such a smart start. I can tell you that after those two putts, making this six feet for the bogey, I was like Well, that’s it, no game, come on. That’s what he did to me mentally.
And my boy, Rahm started. He signed for a par 66 out of four on Saturday, then ended up with a 6four – the lowest circular in the tournament. He and Johnson, who pitched 69-67 this weekend, finished in four, two shots of Joaquin Niemann (67) and Hideki Matsuyama (69).
“It was a great joy on the golf course for me,” said Rahm, who won for the time being on the PGA Tour this season and for the fifth time in his career. “Not because I played well, but because that’s what I have to do. It’s a complicated journey. They gave us a good game. People were betting soon, so I knew we could have birdies and laugh a lot doing it. Probably that’s why it all happened so I stayed competitive because I felt comfortable with the driver and it was worth it.
Johnson dropped to 23rd place on the PGA Tour.
“I knew I had to make a birdie to get to the playoffs. I hit a putt, got to the playoffs, and then Jon made an even more ridiculous putt about me,” Johnson said. “And then I gave him a smart effort I think I did it when I went down the hill. He lacked a little speed.
Johnson remained number one in the FedEx Cup playoffs and will have a two-shot lead in next week’s Tour Championship, the season finale, with staggered scores.
Johnson ended up tied for the PGA Championship, won the Northern Trust through 11 shots with a score of 30 cents and finished in the BMW Championship in his last three outings.
“Obviously, the purpose was to be number one in East Lake, and I’m still number one,” Johnson said. “I like my position. I feel like the game is in very good shape right now. satisfied with all facets of the game. I’m looking for next week and have a chance to win the FedEx Cup. “
The season ended for Tiger Woods, who did not fit or break parity in all four rounds for the first time since 2010 and finished tied for 51st place, with 15 shots from Rahm.
The season continues for Billy Horschel, who also won on Sunday. The 2014 FedEx Cup champion won the tournament in the tournament taking the 30th and maximum position in the Tour championship with 2. 7 problems: a stroke.
“I love what I can do there,” Horschel said about East Lake next week. “I know I’m going to start 10 shots back and that’s a great margin to catch up, so I know I’m going to have to do something special when I get to East Lake, but the game’s moving in the right direction. »
Mackenzie Hughes also felt victorious after hitting a 5-foot meter in the last hole to win the 28. Si he would have missed out, he would have missed the hiking championship.
“It’s one of the biggest pressures I’ve felt in a long time,” Hughes said. “I pretended to win tournaments this summer, and the same kind of intensity in that putt. “